Lakeport >> The Lake County Board of Supervisors is entering into an agreement with Mendocino County to provide housing services for Lake County’s juvenile wards. As a consequence of the relocation, the board acknowledged a decision will have to be made regarding the current juvenile hall staff.
The agreement is for a two-year term, during which Lake County will pay Mendocino for room and board on 12 beds, with any additional beds used charged an additional $124 per day. Lake County will still be responsible for medical, dental and transportation-related expenses. Skype services will be offered, potentially in both the north and south parts of the county, to allow families to stay in contact with those in detention. Those facilities would be located at offices run by the Probation department.
Staff estimates the arrangement will save Lake County $764,000 a year, and potentially more.
District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown voiced concern over the number of beds the county is required to pay for in the agreement. Currently, according to Chief Probation Officer Rob Howe, only four beds are being utilized at the county’s Juvenile Hall. He questioned whether there shouldn’t be a provision included in the agreement to allow Lake County the ability to modify the amount of floor space being paid for if it proves to be in excess of actual need.
District 4 Supervisor and Chair Anthony Farrington expressed that he felt the two-year period may be too short of a time frame considering the scope of the reconfigurations the county will have to do in order to make the agreement work in terms of facilities maintenance and staffing. He was concerned that if the agreement is not renewed after the initial two years, the county will have to invest more money in re-establishing in-house juvenile supervision than was saved by relocating services out of county to begin with.
The board discussed maintaining one full wing and control room of the current juvenile hall in case such a situation arises. Howe adamantly stated that there is a sufficient number of people in the county with the appropriate training to re-staff those facilities on short notice, if needed.
The BOS approved the agreement, voting 5-0 in favor. They then reached a consensus to have staff begin drafting layoff notices for juvenile hall employees.
